The King of Pop once took some business advice from Paul McCartney—and used it to buy all of the Beatles song collection.
Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney first met and became friendly in the mid-1970s, when, according to Jackson, McCartney tried to sell him a song, "Girlfriend," for Jackson's upcoming solo album. Although it took a couple of years (and McCartney released the song first with Wings), the two hit it off, and over the next few years, they collaborated on a number of duets. The lead single off of Jackson’s smash album, Thriller (1982), was "The Girl Is Mine," a duet he penned while watching cartoons with McCartney. Likewise, McCartney’s album Pipes of Peace (1983) had two songs featuring Jackson, "The Man" and "Say Say Say." The two superstars even filmed a music video for "Say Say Say," playing traveling vaudevillians who peddle their "Mac and Jack Wonder Potion" to unsuspecting townspeople.
SAY SAY SAY - MICHAEL JACKSON & PAUL MCCARTNEY FROM BEAUTIFUL SMILE ON VIMEO.
During this time, McCartney reportedly explained to Jackson about the lucrative nature of music publishing. For complex legal reasons, the Beatle had lost his stake in Northern Songs, the publishing company that he and John Lennon set up, in the late 1960s. Because he wasn’t profiting from his own songs’ publishing rights, McCartney told Jackson about how he had been purchasing other artists’ catalogues (such as Buddy Holly’s) as a business investment. McCartney explained to the future King of Pop that whoever owns the rights to a song’s lyrics and composition earns royalties every time that song plays on film, TV, the radio, in a commercial, or in a concert. According to McCartney, Jackson then jokingly told him "one day, I’ll own your songs."
With the help of his attorney John Branca, Jackson started buying the rights to '60s songs that he liked enough to dance to. In 1984, Branca told Jackson that music publishing company ATV was for sale. Owned by an Australian billionaire named Robert Holmes à Court, ATV owned the rights to 251 songs from the Beatles’ catalogue (as well as 4000 other songs and a library of sound effects). Branca asked Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, who ran Lennon’s estate, if she was interested in teaming up with McCartney to purchase ATV. Ono said no and reportedly gave her blessing for Jackson (rather than a corporation) to own the songs. Branca then asked McCartney’s lawyer if McCartney wanted to buy ATV, and his lawyer said the catalogue was too expensive.
Branca offered Holmes à Court $30 million for ATV, but other people—including Virgin’s Richard Branson and music industry executives Marty Bandier and Charles Koppelman—were also bidding on the company. Going against the counsel from his group of advisors (including businessman David Geffen), Jackson told Branca to offer $40 million. Holmes à Court still wanted more money, but Jackson stood firm in his desire to buy ATV. "You can’t put a price on a Picasso … you can’t put a price on these songs, there’s no value on them," Jackson reportedly said. "They’re the best songs that have ever been written."
Branca offered $45 million and did a handshake deal with Holmes à Court in April 1985, but the ATV owner backed out. Branca—along with competing bidders Bandier and Koppelman—traveled to London to try to finalize an agreement; to seal the deal, Branca promised Holmes à Court that Jackson would perform in a charity concert in Perth, Australia and exclude the Beatles tune "Penny Lane" from the deal (so Holmes à Court could give that song to his daughter). In August 1985, after months of negotiations, Jackson paid $47.5 million to buy ATV.
McCartney was not pleased to learn that his supposed friend bought the rights to his songs. He wrote letters to Jackson about the purchase, but Jackson dismissed them all by saying it was just business. "He won't even answer my letters, so we haven't talked and we don't have that great a relationship," McCartney said in 2001.
In 1995, Jackson sold 50 percent of ATV to Sony for $95 million, a sale that created the music publishing company Sony/ATV. Today, Sony/ATV owns the rights to millions of songs by everyone from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. In March 2016, seven years after Jackson’s death, Sony/ATV agreed to pay $750 million to Jackson’s estate to buy out his 50 percent share of the company.
But for McCartney, it's been a long and winding road. Though he's said in the past that it wouldn't make sense for him to pay for his own work ("The trouble is I wrote those songs for nothing and buying them back at these phenomenal sums …" McCartney once explained. "I just can't do it."), his tune may have changed. On December 15, 2015, he filed a termination notice with the U.S. Copyright Office, the first step required for an artist to get back the publishing rights to their songs.
The Beatles – Challenger One
Label: Vulture Records – VT CD 011
Format: 3 × CD, Unofficial Release
Country: Italy
Released: 1990
Genre: Rock, Pop
CD 1 of 3. Basically the same as the Ultra Rare Trax series but with some more songs.
Includes Ultra Rare Trax 1 & 2.
CD 2 of 3. Basically the same as the Ultra Rare Trax series but with some more songs.
Includes Ultra Rare Trax 3 & 4.
Includes "Live At The Budokan Hall".
CD 3 of 3. Basically the same as the Ultra Rare Trax series but with some more songs.
Includes Ultra Rare Trax 5 & 6.
CD 1
1. I Saw Her Standing There (take 2) (3:07)
2. One After 909 (take 2) (3:03)
3. She's A Woman (take 2) (3:17)
4. I'm Looking Through You (take 2) (3:00)
5. If You Got Troubles (2:20)
6. How Do You Do It (2:11)
7. Penny Lane (2:55)
8. Strawberry Fields Forever (3:20)
9. From Me To You (1:50)
10. Besame Mucho (2:32)
11. The Fool On The Hill (2:45)
12. Paper Back Writer (2:39)
13. Can't Buy Me Love (2:17)
14. There's A Place (take 3) (0:10)
15. There's A Place (take 3) (2) (1:55)
16. That Means A Lot (2:27)
17. Day Tripper (I) (0:24)
18. Day Tripper (II) (3:04)
19. I Am The Walrus (4:26)
20. Misery (take 1) (1:48)
21. Leave My Kitten Alone (2:52)
22. We Can Work It Out (2:11)
23. A Hard Day's Night (2:46)
24. Norwegian Wood (2:18)
25. Do You Want To Know A Secret (2:01)
26. Aerial Tour (instrumental) (2:07)
27. A Hard Day's Night (2) (2:31)
28. I'm A Looser (2:35)
29. I Feel Fine (2:18)
30. Money (2:54)
31. Twist And Shout (2:45)
CD 2
1. Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da (2:57)
2. Tomorrow Never Knows (2:57)
3. A Day In The Life (5:26)
4. Yes It Is (2:53)
5. I Saw Her Standing There (take 10) (2:58)
6. Norwegian Wood (take 1) (2:03)
7. Not Guilty (3:18)
8. Across The Universe (3:43)
9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (3:26)
10. Ticket To Ride (3:43)
11. One After 909 (3:11)
12. A Taste Of Honey (take 7) (2:27)
13. I Feel Fine (take 7) (2:28)
14. Yer Blues (4:02)
15. Blues Jam (3:48)
16. Not Guilty (4:24)
17. Get Back (2:17)
18. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (2:34)
19. Do You Want To Know A Secret (take 8) (2:14)
20. All You Need Is Love (4:59)
21. Yesterday (budokan '66) (2:28)
22. Paperback Writer (budokan '66) (2:23)
23. She's A Woman (budokan '66) (3:07)
24. Day Tripper (budokan '66) (3:08)
CD 3
1. Christmas Time Is Here Again (1:12)
2. Because (2:19)
3. Revolution (3:20)
4. I Me Mine (2:13)
5. Strawberry Fields Forever (take 1) (2:41)
6. Hey Jude (rehersal Take 9) (5:38)
7. Magical Mystery Tour (2:36)
8. What's The New Mary Jane? (6:05)
9. Lady Madonna (2:14)
10. One After 909 (2:58)
11. Ob-la-di-ob-la-da (2:38)
12. Christmas Time Is Here Again (2) (0:58)
13. Come And Get It (2:30)
14. Hold Me Tight (2:38)
15. I'll Be On My Way (2:11)
16. Strawberry Fields Forever (take 7) (3:55)
17. It's All Too Much (2:28)
18. 12 Bar Original (3:54)
19. I Hate To See (1:08)
20. She's A Woman (take 7) (6:28)
21. What's The New Mary Jane? (2) (6:50)
22. Dig It (8:08)
"Now
And Then" (also known as "I Don't Want To Lose You" or "Miss You") is
the name given to an unreleased composition by John Lennon. It was first
recorded in demo form in 1978 and was considered in 1995 as a third
possible reunion single by Lennon's former band, The Beatles, for their
1995 autobiographical project The Beatles Anthology.
Lennon wrote
"Now And Then" in the late 1970s, around the same time as "Free As A
Bird" and "Real Love". He recorded the unfinished piece of music in a
demo form at his home at the Dakota Building, New York City, around
1979. The lyrics are typical of the apologetic love songs that Lennon
wrote in the later half of his career. Despite reports, for the most
part the verses are nearly complete, though there are still a few lines
that Lennon did not flesh out on the demo tape performance.
In
January 1994, Paul McCartney was given two tape cassettes by Lennon's
widow Yoko Ono that included home recordings of songs Lennon never
completed or released commercially. The songs on the tape included the
eventually completed and released "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love", in
addition to two other songs was a tape with the words "for Paul"
scrawled hastily in John's handwriting, which included "Grow Old With
Me" and "Now And Then". In March 1995, the three surviving Beatles began
work on "Now And Then" by recording a rough backing track that was to
be used as an overdub. However, after only two days of recording, all
work on the song ceased and plans for a third reunion single were
scrapped permanently.
According to McCartney, George Harrison
"didn't want to do it," possibly because new verses would have had to be
written. Producer Jeff Lynne reported that "It was one day—one
afternoon, really—messing with it. The song had a chorus but is almost
totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we
really didn't finish." An additional factor behind scrapping the song
was a technical defect in the original recording. As with "Real Love", a
60-cycle mains hum can be heard throughout Lennon's demo recording.
However, it was noticeably louder on '"Now And Then", making it much
harder to remove.
Throughout 2005 and 2006, press reports
speculated that McCartney and Starr would release a complete version of
the song in the future. On 29 April 2007, the Daily Express reported
that the song might be released to coincide with the Beatles catalogue
being released for the first time via digital download. Additional
reports circulated that same year that McCartney was hoping to complete
the song as a "Lennon–McCartney composition" by writing new verses,
laying down a new drum track recorded by Ringo Starr, and utilising
archival recordings of Harrison's guitar work.
In April 2008, The
Sun reported that "there have been discussions about finishing 'Now And
Then.'" From there, the story was picked up and repeated by a number of
music and entertainment media sources.
The only (unofficial)
available recording of the song is Lennon's original demo. In February
2009, the same version of Lennon's recording was released on a bootleg
CD, taken from a different source, with none of the "buzz" which
hampered the Beatles recording of the song in 1995. The overdubs added
in 1995 by the other surviving members have yet to surface.
A
popular fan remix from 2007 called the "1995 edit" consists of Lennon's
original demo along with instrumental overdubs by an unspecified artist
and samples from various 1960s Beatles songs. Contrary to repeated
misconception, this remix does not contain any of the work that the
three surviving members of the Beatles recorded in the 1990s.
Finally, The Beatles have released a film trailer and a poster, as well
as information about what started as a documentary about The Beatles
live concerts, but ended up as a broader perspective on the first part
of their career, from 1962 to 1966.
The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years will be
getting a theatrical all-star world premiere in London on September
15th, and the same day it will also be screened in France and Germany.
Other countries will follow, currently release dates have been published
for Australia and New Zealand (September 16th) and Japan (September
22nd), in addition to the previously mentioned UK, France and Germany
(September 15th).
Hulu will have the exclusive US streaming video on-demand rights to the
film on SVOD beginning September 17th – marking the first feature film
to debut on Hulu following its theatrical premiere. The Beatles: Eight
Days A Week - The Touring Years is the first film acquired by Hulu’s
Documentary Films arm which will serve as a new home for premium
original and exclusive documentary film titles coming to Hulu.
The film is based on the first part of The Beatles’ career (1962-1966) –
the period in which they toured and captured the world’s acclaim. Ron
Howard’s film will explore how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George
Harrison and Ringo Starr came together to become this extraordinary
phenomenon, The Beatles. It will explore their inner workings – how they
made decisions, created their music and built their collective career
together – all the while, exploring The Beatles’ extraordinary and
unique musical gifts and their remarkable, complementary personalities.
The film will focus on the time period from the early Beatles’ journey
in the days of The Cavern Club in Liverpool to their last concert at
Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1966.
Featuring rare and exclusive footage, the film is produced with the full
cooperation of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia
Harrison.
Richard Abramowitz’s Abramorama will handle the US theatrical release of
the film that is set to be an event driven experience with a few
special surprises planned for cinemagoers.
Of special interest is a brief sequence near the end of the trailer,
featuring colour footage shot from behind the band, from the Washington
DC concert, February 1964. Link: TheBeatlesEightDaysAWeek.com
Credits:
Award-winning Editor Paul Crowder is the editor. Crowder’s long-time
collaborator, Mark Monroe, is serving as writer. Marc Ambrose is the
supervising producer.
White Horse Pictures’ Grammy Award-winning Nigel Sinclair, Scott
Pascucci and Academy Award®-winner and Emmy® Award-winner Brian Grazer
of Imagine Entertainment are producing with Ron Howard. Apple Corps
Ltd.’s Jeff Jones and Jonathan Clyde are serving as executive producers,
along with Imagine’s Michael Rosenberg and White Horse’s Guy East and
Nicholas Ferrall. Studiocanal is an anchor partner on the film, having
acquired UK, France, Germany and Australia and New Zealand rights.
The interview "Author Mark Lewisohn: Serious Jibber Jabber With Conan O'Brien" that went public Wednesday is an amazing in-depth discussion on the Beatles centered mostly around Lewisohn's “All These Years: Volume 1: Tune In,”
but also talking about the Beatles' career as a whole. The interview,
which lasts 83 minutes, is something that never could likely have been
done on O'Brien's TV show because of the time spent and the topics
covered. The knowledge that emerges on both sides of the interview from
Lewisohn and O'Brien, who himself is a huge Beatles, fan, is not only
illuminating but enlightening.
For example, the two get into a discussion of Brian Epstein with
O'Brien saying, “He's the only one who sees them in '62 and says they're
going to be the biggest thing ever.” “He was a man of tremendous
energy,” Lewisohn answers. “He would consume himself with whatever it
was that was interesting him. And the Beatles were miraculous to him.
They came along at just the right time in his life much as he came along
at the right time in their lives. It was the perfect marriage of
manager and artist.”
An interesting moment is when, in discussing the personalities of the four Beatles, Lewisohn says Paul McCartney, not John Lennon,
caused the most problems for Epstein. “They all had their difficult
sides, but Paul's was the one that Brian had the most trouble with for
sure because Paul was the most conspicuously ambitious for the Beatles.
John and George were both ambitious, too, no doubt about it, but they
would be more laid back. You wouldn't see it quite so openly as you
would with Paul.”
They also discuss Ringo Starr as the rock of the Beatles. “They
wanted Ringo first of all for his character and personality was a fit.
Secondly, tempo, rock-solid tempo, unwavering beat, metronomic, perfect
for guitarists and singers. The guy before, Pete, they always felt he
always wavered on his beat. He was erratic, he speeded up, he slowed
down. Ringo was rock solid.” “He was also rock solid through every
outtake,” O'Brien quipped.
These are just a couple of highlights from a discussion that has many
and shouldn't be missed. It's the second interview in two days
featuring an intense discussion with Lewisohn. Stephen K. Peeples posted
four videos on YouTube with more great talk about the Beatles from Lewisohn. The first is here. None should be missed.
Source: http://www.examiner.com/review/mark-lewisohn-s-interview-with-conan-o-brien-is-a-must-see
The Beatles Anthology, Vols 1-3 are now available on all collaborating
streaming services, and it is the June 2011 remastered-for-iTunes
versions. Originally released in 2CD volumes in 1995 and 1996,
Anthology’s three chronological collections of rare and previously
unreleased Beatles recordings include studio outtakes and alternate
versions. The “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love” singles, from Anthology,
Volume 1 and Anthology, Volume 2, respectively, were completed in 1995
by George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr from 1977 demos
recorded by John Lennon.
The 2011 remasters sound a lot better than their 1995-96 counterparts,
which is especially noticeable on the first of the three volumes.
Upon their original release, Anthology, Volumes 1-3 topped charts and
went multi-platinum in several countries around the world. “Free as a
Bird” became The Beatles’ 34th Top 10 hit in the U.S., winning the 1996
GRAMMY® Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Anthology, Volume 3 includes “A Beginning,” an instrumental orchestral
arrangement originally recorded for The Beatles (The White Album).
Anthology, Volumes 1-3 were remastered at Abbey Road Studios by the same
team of engineers responsible for The Beatles’ GRAMMY-winning 2009
studio album remasters, carefully maintaining the authenticity and
integrity of the original analogue recordings. The collections are
accompanied by original collage artwork created by Klaus Voormann from
classic Beatles imagery.
Beatles’ “Anthology” Receives a Very Digital Remaster
So here’s some good news for Beatlemaniacs: the Anthology series,
the three-volume clearinghouse of Beatles outtakes and vault material
released in 1995-1996, is getting digitally remastered. The bad news?
You’re not going to find it in your local record shop.
This new remaster of each two-disc set is actually going to be an
iTunes exclusive – quite a difference from years ago, when no Beatles
material was sold digitally. Not only did Apple Computer crack the code for Apple Records, they also offered unreleased bonus tracks when the Love soundtrack for the Cirque du Soleil show was offered through the digital retailer earlier this year.
EMI has already confirmed that this remaster will not be available physically, nor will the iTunes albums include the Anthology documentaries,
either. For those whose interest in The Beatles was piqued by finally
having the catalogue accessible on iTunes, this is obviously a good
thing, but most collectors aren’t going to care one way or another. And
isn’t a digital remaster in a n uncompressed format a contradiction in terms?A physical product would have made perfect sense for collectors or anyone still missing those sets – I don’t believe all three Anthology entries were ever packaged as a six-disc box set (nor were they ever combined with the Anthology documentaries on DVD for a whopper of a 10-disc set) – but it is what it is, at the moment.
The Beatles’ Anthology is on iTunes June 14. The full details for the digital sets are after the jump.Each two-disc Anthology set
can be pre-ordered for $29.99, or bought as a digital box set for
$79.99. A 23-track highlights collection will be sold for $12.99, and
all tracks can be bought a la carte at $1.29 apiece.
The Beatles’ iTunes page also has a new radio featurette, Meet The Beatles,
to listen to, which features testimonials from famous Beatle fans
including Brian Wilson, Jackson Browne and more. All of that can be
found here.
And here are the track lists. Starred tracks will be included in the highlights collection.
It’s been said the most frustrating of the Beatles’ studio albums is also the most frustrating when comparing mixes. The sheer volume and diversity of the music means that it will vary from song to song as to which version is better. “Dear Prudence” and “Happiness is a Warm Gun” sound absolutely perfect in mono, but the acoustic guitar in the background has much more impact on the stereo mix. The mono mix also features a version of “Helter Skelter” that is a minute shorter and far more cluttered than the stereo mix. But there are enough positives for each mix that it’s worth keeping both around.
The White Album is literally a toss up when it comes to mono vs stereo. This is the album that every fan should own both versions of – because literally, some songs sound better on mono, some sound better on stereo. For instance, I noticed on “The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill” the bass is a little too loud, and the guitar bits are more muffled on the mono version. On the flip side tho, the vocals sound much better. So a bit of a trade off. “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” always sounded strange on the stereo mix to me. Especially if you have headphones on. The mono delivers a much better sounding version of the song, and this is a good example of why you need to own both version. So to sum up it up: there are moments when the mono version is clearly better – where the drums smack with ferocity and the vocals sound beautiful. But on the same note, there are also times where the stereo mix breathes better – especially on “Helter Sketer”.
The Mono/Stereo Differences
Back In The U.S.S.R.
The airplane overdubs occur in different places on the mono and stereo versions. The Mono version has louder piano, a yell after the opening plane sound, and drumbeats under the closing plane sound. The Stereo version has extra guitar chords at the start of the solo, and shouts and piano during the guitar solo.
Dear Prudence
Stereo version has slightly more treble and fades to a lower volume at the end.
Glass Onion
The edit adds the end orchestral piece. Stereo [a] is lacking Paul’s added vocal “oh yeah” at the end of the break. Mono mix [c] has various sound effects, of which only the whistle after “fool on the hill” was used in the standard mix.
Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
The stereo version has hand-clapping during the intro, the mono version does not. On the mono mix, Paul’s vocals are not double-tracked as they sound to be on the stereo mix which gives the allusion of two or more Pauls singing at once.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
The stereo version has some vocal sounds from George at the end, the mono version does not. The Clapton guitar remains loud in mono version after the solo break, not in the Stereo version. Near the end of the fadeout only the stereo [b] has “yeah yeah yeah”, even though it is a few second shorter than [a].
Blackbird
The bird sound effects are quite different between the stereo and the mono release.
Piggies
The pig sound effects are quite different between the stereo and the mono release. The guitar is louder in the mono version.
Don’t Pass Me By
The mono version is much faster than the stereo, and therefore is shorter. The violin sounds at the end are markedly different. Mono [a] runs faster, and it has more fiddle throughout the song, and different fiddle at the end. The fiddle at the end of stereo [b] seems to a repeat of a bit of the chorus. The edit added the intro. Stereo [c] has only work from 5 and 6 June without the fiddle or intro added in July. It’s at the speed of the stereo mix [b].
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road
The stereo version has hand-clapping during the intro, the mono version does not.
Sexy Sadie
The stereo version has two taps on the tambourine during the intro, the mono version only has one.
Helter Skelter
The stereo version has a fade-out/fade-in dummy ending with Ringo’s shout of “I’ve got blisters on my fingers”, the mono version does not ! … this makes the stereo version almost a minute longer. The basic song runs about 3:10 to a pause shortly after Paul’s distorted vocal, too close to the microphone. The Mono version then is edited into more of the same take, with sound effects noises, and fades at 3:36. Stereo version is edited instead to a different part of the take, fading out and then back in again, with another edit, ending finally at 4:29 after Ringo shouts “I’ve got blisters on my fingers!”. Is the distorted vocal “Can you hear me speaking– woo!” or “My baby is sleeping, ooh!, dreaming”?
Long, Long, Long
The stereo version is fine, but on the mono, George’s double-tracked vocal is embarrassingly out of synch.
Honey Pie
The stereo version has a shorter guitar solo than the mono version.
Revolution 9
Although the mono was made from the stereo, the opening lines are more clear in mono: “I would’ve gotten claret for you but I’ve realized I’ve forgotten all about it, George, I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”. This is evidently a separate piece of tape added during mixing.
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide (Except Me and My Monkey)
The screaming after “come on” in the last verse is different in the Stereo and Mono versions.
Revolution [2]
The song was deliberately distorted during recording and mixing, so since the mono version sounds more distorted and compressed, it’s better! John’s guitar also sounds louder in mono version.
Yer Blues
The 2d generation tape is an edit of two takes, each of the two tapes being itself a mixdown from the original 4-track. The edit causes an abrupt transition at the end of the guitar solos. In stereo, traces of other vocal and guitar parts can be heard throughout the song in the left channel, including something shouted over parts of the vocal and what sounds like another different guitar solo. After the edit, the trace lead vocal suggests we are hearing the first part of the song from the other take. The edit in the mixes added the countdown intro, which is louder in mono. The Mono version is 11 seconds longer, long fade.
I Will
This started as 4 track and was copied to 8 track, so it’s 2d generation. The “bass” (vocal) starts later in mono [a], after the first verse. The stereo version has more prominent bongos.
Birthday
The last “daaaance” starts twice, maybe a double-track error or a leak from a guide vocal, as heard on stereo [b], but covered up by other sound in Mono version. The stereo version has extra vocals at the end of the second chorus.
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
The 2d generation master is an edit of (copies of) two takes with more material overdubbed. Mono [a] has tapping (organ) on the beat from the start until the drums come in, but it is soft and mixed out 4 beats earlier in [b]. In the “I need a fix” section in stereo [b], by error, although the first line was mixed out, the last “down” is just audible. Mono [a] has louder bass in the “I need a fix” section. Mono [a] has laughter near the very end, just before the last drumbeat, not heard in [b].
Honey Pie
Mono [a] has the full lead guitar break, slightly shortened in the Stereo Version.
Savoy Truffle
Mono [a] has sound effects during the instrumental break, and the lead guitar continues through the break into the refrain after it. The organ is missing from the last verse in the Mono Version.
Long Long Long
Doubletracking starts at the first “long” in stereo [a], the third “long” in [b], and sounds somewhat different thereafter. In mono [b] the rhythm guitar is softer but the lead guitar is louder, especially in the later part of the song.
I’m So Tired
Paul’s harmony at the first “You’d say” is louder in mono [a]. The muttering after the song is part of this recording.
Verdict: Toss Up! (This is the definitive album where listeners should own both the mono and the stereo version of it. Some songs sound better on mono and vice versa).
Conclusion: Chances are that you are wondering what box set is “right for you”. The mono box set entices you because purists will always say that mono “is how the Beatles always intended” them to be heard. Then there is the fact that the mono box set is “limited”. However, we found that the Stereo far outperformed the Mono versions. There were only a couple albums that we could see ourselves arguing as being definitively better on mono. Taking all that into consideration, it’s hard to justify paying $40-60 more for a box set that not only has less content (it doesn’t include Abbey Road, Let It Be, Yellow Submarine, or the DVD documentaries), but overall doesn’t sound as good as the Stereo versions. It is true that mono was originally how most of these album were recorded. But they never sounded better then they do now with the Stereo remasters that will have you listening to the Beatles like you have never before.
There are many differences between the Stereo and Mono versions of The White Album. (The Mono mix of the White Album was only available in Great Britain, it was never released in mono in the US.) The mono version of the song Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is missing the hand clapping that can be heard in all other mixes of the song. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?, like the Mono version of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is missing the hand clapping at the beginning of the song.
What’s a Variation, and Why Do We Care?
One part of being a music fan is playing favorite recordings over and over. Like many people, I’ve found that I have memorized many small nuances of the performance on record. Sometimes, when listening to an old song on a new disk, I’ll detect a difference in what is otherwise a very familiar recording. There may be a voice or instrument in one version that is not in the other, for example. This is a variation. Just when people started noticing Beatles variations is lost in the mists of time, but by the end of the Beatles’ recording career as a group in 1970, lists of variations had become a perennial topic among some fans.
One’s credentials as a Beatles fan need not rest on whether one can recognize most of the variations. Plenty of genuine fans feel this is one of the most obsessive and boring topics imaginable, and would much rather discuss the meaning of the lyrics, the invention of the melody, or the relation of the song to the Beatles’ lives and times. But who cares about all that, eh? No no, that’s not what I mean…
The variations open the door a little bit into how the recordings were made and prepared for release. The differences tell us something about how the sound was fixed on tape and what the engineers did to make records out of them. At least, they tell us something if we care to ask how the variations happened.
Hasn’t this “been done”? Well you may ask. Beatles Variations Lists have certainly appeared before. One reason to compile a list is simply to collate all the previous work on this topic. When it was suggested I put together something about variations, though, I was dissatisfied at simply rehashing old lists. Aside from the copyright violations (not that it’s stopped writers of some of the books I’ve seen while researching this) it did seem a little boring as well. Nearly all of them are just lists.
There are two reasons I’ve done this. Firstly- Collating existing lists does not result in a good list. I found by listening that many of the variations were not well described. Although I decided to be nice and not make this a catalog of the failings of other sources, a few instances are so wildly wrong that I did mention them. There were times when I wondered whether the writers had even heard the record they were describing. The amount of mindless copying from one print source to another has to be seen to be believed. I found that I had to go listen for myself, and quiz people closely to be sure they heard what they said they did on rare disks I couldn’t get hold of.
Secondly- I wanted to understand why they vary. The only list that relates variations to what we know about the recording sessions is a series of articles by Steve Shorten in “The 910″, which was unfortunately limited by space to highlights. As Steve noted in his first article, the publication of Mark Lewisohn’s book “The Beatles Recording Sessions” in 1988 provided an important framework on which to base an improved listing of variations. For the first time, we had specific information about dates of recording (some of which had been known) and of mixing (none of which had been known, I think). This made it possible to look for variations based on how many times a song was mixed at EMI Abbey Road, instead of the hopeless method of listening to every record released in the world.
Not only is “The Beatles Recording Sessions” a goldmine of information, but Lewisohn lacked the space or inclination to apply his data to the problem of variations. He even calls some mixes unused based on nonappearance in England. Tom Bowers and I did some work on finding those in 1991, reported in the Usenet group rec.music.beatles. It became clear that most of the mixes had been used somewhere, and they accounted for some of the variations that had been spotted previously.
Mark’s excellent work also provides enough information to figure out just how the variants arose. Some of them, especially the earlier ones recorded in 2-track, are editing differences, while others are differences in how the multi-track master tapes were mixed down for record.
Let me emphasize that, with just a very few exceptions, the mono version of a Beatles song is not the stereo version combined into one channel. On the contrary, George Martin mixed for mono first in almost all cases and then did a stereo mix separately. Right here we have a reason for variations, since the same edits and mixing had to be done twice. In some cases there are two or more mono or stereo mixes, providing yet more chances for variations.
The mixes were supposed to sound the same, usually. However, his practice of making separate mono and stereo mixes shows that George Martin did care about how the record would sound in both finished forms, and he may have deliberately mixed some songs differently. Other times, small things are fixed in one mix and overlooked in another, or difficult editing may be done a little better in one of the attempts. George Martin and staff weren’t perfect. That they had problems mixing songs the way they wanted makes the recording process seem a little less mechanical to me.
Obviously the mono and stereo mixes of any song are different. One is mono and one is stereo! Besides that, careful comparison of the mono mix to the stereo mix played as mono would doubtless turn up some differences in emphasis. But what we’re really after here in a variations list is larger game: different edits, sound mixed out in one version, different stereo images, and so on– things that are really noticeable. Well, maybe I stretch the limits on “really noticeable” at times. Forget the ones that seem trivial to you.
Aside from the dubious contribution of Capitol Records USA, I’m not, mostly, listing atrocities performed outside EMI Abbey Road. They’re not genuine, just stupid mistakes mastering records– speed problems, premature fadeouts, defects in tapes, even editing– and the ever-popular mock stereo. Nobody around the Beatles authorized them. Even Capitol is included just out of parochial interest to me and to the large contingent of fans in the USA– although I could argue Capitol’s work is of more than local interest since some other affiliates such as Odeon (Germany) got masters from Capitol. Capitol certainly doesn’t begin and end the tampering stories– there’s that “Penny Lane” from Brazil with a line edited out for no known reason, a “Devil in her Heart” from Mexico with the very end faded off… but I digress. If you live outside the USA, I invite you to catalog your own country’s label’s lack of judgement.
My Favorite Album Of All Time
The White Album is my favorite album ever (by The Beatles or anyone else.) I love it because of all of the different styles of music on it. I love it because of all of the brilliant songs. I love it because of it’s imperfections (“Don’t Pass Me By” comes to mind.) And yes, I love “Revolution #9.”
The Last Beatles Album Mixed In Mono
For most of The Beatles career mono was the standard and the stereo mix was something that was done as an afterthought. The band (and the producers and engineers) worked to get the mono mix just perfect and then would throw together the stereo mix rather quickly, sometimes in a very experimental fashion (as stereo was still very new, people were trying things out to see what worked.) But by 1968 mono was getting phased out and The White Album was The Beatles final album mixed in mono. Their last three albums (Yellow Submarine,
Never Released In The US In Mono
In the US mono had already been phased out and so only the stereo mix of the The White Album was released in the US while in the UK both the mono and stereo versions were released.
Mono Mixes On CD For The First Time
On 9/9/9 (a cool reference to “Revolution #9″) the original mono mixes of The Beatles first 10 studio albums (through The White Album) will be released on mono on CD for the first time.
The White Album is the only one of those 10 albums that was never released in mono on vinyl in the US so it will really be the first release of this mix in the US ever (on any format.) For those of us who think this is the greatest album of all time (and I think there’s quite a few of us!) it’s very exciting to finally get to hear this mix.
The White Album in mono will not be available for individual purchase, instead it will be included as one of the 10 Beatles albums (all with original mono mixes) in the Beatles Mono Box Set
Posted November 11 2015 — 5:04 PM EST The Beatles released 1+ last week, a new collection that, most notably, includes dozens of rare music videos the band recorded over the years. But tucked away behind the two Blu-ray discs is a revamped version of 1, the 2000 compilation that features all 27 of the Fab Four’s No. 1 hits. Don’t ignore that disc. When the team behind 1+decided to polish up the video clips, it decided to also remix the songs on 1 — and tapped Giles Martin, the son of esteemed Beatles producer George Martin, to head up the job.
“They still sound like the songs you love,” Martin tells EW. “It’s just that if you go back to the original, you should prefer what we’ve done. When you hear them you feel closer to the band than you ever did before.” The motivation behind the project is mostly technological. As Martin began to assist with fixing up the audio tracks for the 1+ video clips, he realized that his goal of making them “more immersive” should also apply to 1. While modern remastering efforts — most recently the 2009 reissuing of the band’s entire catalog — cleaned up the audio, none truly optimized the recording for modern, high-definition sound systems. “You have to understand, the original Beatles mixes were designed for mono playback,” Martin explains. “The stereos that we all know and love were done very, very quickly. The band was never present when the stereos were made.” Martin’s mission was to pretend the Beatles were in the room with him and tailor 1’s iconic hits for cutting-edge stereos — no easy task when you know the audience for your work will likely examine it with a fine-toothed comb. “My approach was to be respectful of everything,” the producer says. “I had sessions and sessions where I flipped between previously remastered stereos, the mono remasters, and the remixes we’ve done. I flip between everything and make sure I prefer what we’ve done.” But honoring the past didn’t mean Martin refused to make necessary changes. Consider “Paperback Writer.” The band only recorded one and a half takes of the classic song — “I couldn’t believe it when I looked at the tapes,” Martin says — and the session’s spontaneity comes through on the recording. But Martin also heard a “layer of stuff” that’s not on the raw tapes. The problem mainly stemmed from an ill-conceived stereo mix he says was created just “for the sake of being stereo.” It isolated the band on one side, the bass on the other side, and the vocals in the center, even when the song “sounds better in our world coming out of two speakers.” By returning some of its elements to mono, Martin restored the “visceral feeling” that he thinks the band intended. The fresh edition of 1 also improves the band’s famed recordings in ways the 2009 reissue project didn’t. “It’s vastly different,” Martin says. “The remasters went back to these final mix tapes and remastered them. They cleaned them up and then they EQ-ed them and released them. What we’re doing is remixing. We’re going not to the final mix, we’re creating our own mixes.” That explains why Martin performed the same procedure on audio tracks from the Blu-ray discs that don’t appear on 1. He’s most proud of his work on “Strawberry Fields Forever,” which had much of its studio wizardry wiped away on previous stereo mixes. “It has this mellotron pulse that in the mono version goes under the vocal and sounds really cool,” Martin says. “It sounds much more intense to me, it sounds claustrophobic in a strange way. That’s what John would’ve wanted.” The original stereo mix isolated the mellotron pulse to the right-hand side, and couldn’t be repaired by the surface-level edits made in previous remastering projects. “It has the feel of the mono, but it’s in stereo,” Martin says of the new version. “It sounds stronger, like it has a spine to it. Fans of the Beatles say you have to listen to the monos, but nobody’s going to do that. Only the fans are going to do that. I’m trying to create that attention to detail in a stereo format.” But despite his studio efforts — which have created noticeable improvements on the originals — Martin understands that to a certain extent the endeavor is just icing on the cake. “The Beatles’ music makes people happy, and therefore it’s great to make sure it exists in the world. I don’t think these mixes change that in a big way, but you want to make sure you do the best job you can.” Source: http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/11/giles-martin-beatles-remasters
The Beatles are to release a remixed edition of their bestselling "Beatles 1" singles collection and restored versions of their promotional films.
The Beatles - 1 CD/DVD edition artwork (2015)There will be a 27-track audio CD with new stereo mixes, as well as CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray editions containing new stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes, released on 6 November 2015. A two-disc, 180-gram vinyl edition will also follow.
A special deluxe edition, titled 1+, will contain a second bonus disc of 23 videos, containing alternative versions, rare videos and TV appearances. Four of the videos feature exclusive audio commentary or filmed introductions by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The deluxe edition also includes a 124-page hardback book.
The deluxe edition gives a total of over 200 minutes of video content in 50 individual films (20 of which did not appear in The Beatles' Anthology.
The Beatles - 1+ CD/Blu-ray deluxe edition artwork (2015)
The promotional films were digitally restored from the original 35mm negatives scanned in 4K, with audio produced from the original analogue tapes by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios. Jeff Lynne and engineer Steve Jay have reportedly remixed Free As A Bird and Real Love.
Here's the full press release:
THE BEATLES' VIDEOS AND TOP HITS COME TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME
All-New Editions of The Beatles 1 Pair Beautifully Restored Promotional Films and Videos with Brand New Stereo and Surround Audio Mixes
Beatles 1+ Deluxe Edition Celebrates the Sight & Sound of The Beatles in 50 Films & Videos
London – September 15, 2015
After The Beatles stopped touring, and because travelling around the globe to promote new releases was impossible, the band increasingly made what could be described as “mini movies”. These pioneering promotional films and videos helped to define the way we have come to watch music, not least because The Beatles approached filming with the same ease and innovative spirit they brought to the recording studio, exploring new creative possibilities with infectious delight. Showcasing the band's filmed work to accompany their 27 No.1, U.K. and U.S. singles, The Beatles 1 is newly restored and expanded in multiple configurations for global release on November 6 by Apple Corps Ltd/UMG.
The 27-track CD/DVD and CD/Blu-ray pairs beautifully restored videos for each song, with new stereo and 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS HD surround audio mixes. The brand new Beatles 1+ celebrates their career in over 200 minutes through 50 promotional films and videos. This includes the 27 No.1s, with the restored videos, along with a second disc of 23 videos, including alternate versions, as well as rarely seen and newly restored films and videos; all include new audio mixes in deluxe CD/2-DVD and CD/2-Blu-ray packages. The 27-track audio CD is also being made available with new stereo mixes. A 2 LP, 180-gram vinyl package will follow.
The new editions of The Beatles 1 have been made possible following extensive research, and restoration of the original promo films, classic television appearances and other carefully selected videos spanning the band's history. Apple Corps dug deep into The Beatles' vaults to select a broad range of films and videos for their rarity, historical significance and quality of performance. An 18-person team of film and video technicians and restoration artists was assembled by Apple Corps to undertake painstaking frame-by-frame cleaning, colour-grading, digital enhancement and new edits that took months of dedicated, ‘round-the-clock work to accomplish.
The result is a visual run down of The Beatles' number one records, as well as the additional tracks on the bonus disc of Beatles 1+ that show the band in previously unseen standards of clarity and quality; many of the films and videos have never before been commercially released, in whole or in part.
Beatles 1 and Beatles 1+ offers the restored films, including 35mm negatives scanned in 4K and digitally restored with new stereo and 5.1 surround audio remixes, produced from the original analogue tapes by the GRAMMY® winning team of Giles Martin with Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios. For four of the videos, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have provided exclusive audio commentary and filmed introductions, respectively. The 1+ Deluxe Edition, presented in an expanded 124-page illustrated hardcover book includes ‘an appreciation' of The Beatles' ground-breaking films and videos by music journalist and author Mark Ellen and extensive, detailed track/video annotation by music historian and author Richard Havers.
“These videos and films are spectacular reminders of the era we lived in. They also rock!”
Paul McCartney
“I think it's really interesting to see the videos we made, some of them incredible and some of them really incredible. How else would we have got to sit on a horse?”
Ringo Starr
Between 1962 and 1970, The Beatles released 27 No.1 hit singles in the U.S. and the U.K. In 2000, these timeless songs were collected for The Beatles 1, which topped the charts in 35 countries and became that decade's bestselling album worldwide. 15 years later, 1 is revisited for this entirely new, visually-inspired presentation.
It's The Beatles, as you've never seen them before.
The Beatles 1
[CD: DVD: CD+DVD: Blu-Ray: CD+Blu-Ray]
DISC 1 AUDIO (CD) + DISC 1 VIDEO
(DVD or Blu-ray)
Love Me Do
From Me To You
She Loves You
I Want To Hold Your Hand
Can't Buy Me Love
A Hard Day's Night
I Feel Fine
Eight Days A Week
Ticket To Ride
Help!
Yesterday
Day Tripper
We Can Work It Out
Paperback Writer
Yellow Submarine
Eleanor Rigby
Penny Lane
All You Need Is Love
Hello, Goodbye
Lady Madonna
Hey Jude
Get Back
The Ballad Of John And Yoko
Something
Come Together
Let It Be
The Long And Winding Road
DISC 1 VIDEO EXTRAS
Paul McCartney audio commentary
Penny Lane
Hello, Goodbye
Hey Jude
Ringo Starr filmed introductions
Penny Lane
Hello, Goodbye
Hey Jude
Get Back
The Beatles 1+
CD/2-DVD: CD/2-Blu-ray]
DISC 1 AUDIO (CD) + DISC 2 VIDEO (DVD or Blu-Ray)
(same as above)
DISC 2 VIDEO (DVD or Blu-Ray)
Twist And Shout
Baby It's You
Words Of Love
Please Please Me
I Feel Fine
Day Tripper *
Day Tripper *
We Can Work It Out *
Paperback Writer *
Rain *
Rain *
Strawberry Fields Forever
Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
A Day In The Life
Hello, Goodbye *
Hello, Goodbye *
Hey Bulldog
Hey Jude *
Revolution
Get Back *
Don't Let Me Down
Free As A Bird
Real Love
DISC 2 VIDEO EXTRA
Paul McCartney audio commentary
Strawberry Fields Forever
* alternate version
NOTES ON THE VIDEOS
BEATLES 1 DVD
DISC ONE
1. LOVE ME DO
Newly edited clip, featuring material from BBC TV's The Mersey Sound, with performance footage filmed on 27 August 1963 at the Little Theatre, Southport.
2. FROM ME TO YOU
A live performance at the 1963 Royal Variety Show, filmed at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London, on 4 November 1963.
3. SHE LOVES YOU
A live performance from the Swedish Television show Drop In, recorded on 30 October 1963 during a short Scandinavian tour.
4. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND
From the Granada TV programme Late Scene Extra filmed on 25 November 1963.
5. CAN'T BUY ME LOVE
First broadcast in the TV show Around The Beatles, filmed on 28 April 1964 and broadcast the following month. It features a different audio track to that of hit single, recorded by The Beatles on 19 April 1964.
6. A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
Live performance at the Palais des Sports, Paris on 20 June 1965, while on a short European tour.
7. I FEEL FINE
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965. One of ten films shot that day to satisfy global TV demand for broadcast material to accompany The Beatles' hit records.
8. EIGHT DAYS A WEEK
A brand new clip edited from material filmed at the Shea Stadium concert in New York City on 15 August 1965, during which the band performed twelve songs, but ‘Eight Days A Week' was not among them. The clip says so much about the band's frenetic lifestyle in 1965, at the height of Beatlemania.
9. TICKET TO RIDE
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965.
10. HELP!
The less frequently seen clip of those filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965.
11. YESTERDAY
Paul performing on The Ed Sullivan Show, videotaped in New York City on 14 August 1965 and broadcast the following month, the day before the single was released in America.
12. DAY TRIPPER
Three versions of this clip were filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965. This is version 2, in which all of the group are wearing polo neck sweaters, except for Paul, who wears a black shirt.
13. WE CAN WORK IT OUT
There were three versions of the ‘We Can Work It Out' video filmed atat Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965. This is version 2 in which all four Beatles are wearing black polo neck sweaters.
14. PAPERBACK WRITER
Filmed in 35mm, and in colour, in Chiswick Park, West London, by director Michael Lindsay-Hogg.
15. YELLOW SUBMARINE
This clip is newly created from original Yellow Submarine footage.
16. ELEANOR RIGBY
This clip is taken directly from the Yellow Submarine movie.
17. PENNY LANE
A ground-breaking clip by Swedish director Peter Goldmann that captures The Beatles in Stratford, London, and at Knole Park in Kent, with additional material shot in Liverpool.
18. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Filmed in Studio One at Abbey Road, on 25 June 1967, and beamed around the globe as a part of the TV programme Our World. This colourised version was created for The Beatles Anthology TV programme in 1995.
19. HELLO, GOODBYE
London's Saville Theatre was the location for this promo film, shot on 10 November 1967; The Beatles wear their Sgt. Pepper outfits.
20. LADY MADONNA
Just prior to leaving for India, The Beatles met up in Studio Three at Abbey Road, on 11 February 1968. They were filmed while recording ‘Hey Bulldog'.
21. HEY JUDE
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 4 September, for broadcast on David Frost's TV show, Frost On Sunday. The introduction by David Frost is different from that on disc 2.
22. GET BACK
The promo clip made available at the time of the original release of the single featured performances from the Apple rooftop synched to the record. This new clip has been rebuilt to replicate the original but with improved picture quality.
23. THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO
This original promo clip features outtakes from the Let It Be movie, with other private footage shot in Amsterdam, London, Paris and Vienna.
24. SOMETHING
The video features George and Pattie, John and Yoko, Paul and Linda, and Ringo and Maureen. and was filmed at locations in Berkshire, Surrey, and the Mull of Kintyre.
25. COME TOGETHER
The clip was created in 2000 by Melon Dezign for the launch of thebeatles.com and the original Beatles 1 album.
26. LET IT BE
A 1970 promo clip was made available to support the release of the single and it was different to the one featured in the Let It Be movie; this clip has been rebuilt from the original footage.
27. THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
This clip is taken straight from the Let It Be movie.
DISC TWO
1. TWIST AND SHOUT
From the Granada Television programme Scene At 6.30, which was videotaped on 14 August 1963.
2. BABY IT'S YOU
One of two clips used to promote the single taken from the 1995 Live At The BBC album. The clip is enhanced by the inclusion of unique colour footage of The Beatles filmed outside the BBC's Paris Studio on Lower Regent Street, London.
3. WORDS OF LOVE
When On Air – Live At The BBC Volume 2 was released in 2013, it included ‘Words Of Love', a Buddy Holly composition that the band recorded for radio. This new clip is a mix of existing footage and innovative animation.
4. PLEASE PLEASE ME
A live performance videotaped on 9 February for The Ed Sullivan Show, which was screened on 23 February 1964.
5. I FEEL FINE
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965, this clip shows The Beatles eating fish and chips during their lunch break.
6. DAY TRIPPER
From the TV special The Music Of Lennon & McCartney that first broadcast in mid-December 1965.
7. DAY TRIPPER
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965, with the group wearing their Shea Stadium Jackets with the ‘Nehru' collars.
8. WE CAN WORK IT OUT
Filmed at Twickenham Film Studios on 23 November 1965 – showing The Beatles wearing the Shea Stadium jackets.
9. PAPERBACK WRITER
Shot on videotape at Abbey Road, on 19 May 1966, this studio version is prefaced by a short introduction by Ringo. It was broadcast on The Ed Sullivan Show in America.
10. RAIN
‘Rain', the B-side of ‘Paperback Writer', was filmed in colour at Chiswick House, West London, on 20 May 1966.
11. RAIN
This black and white clip is a new edit from several takes of ‘Rain' videotaped at Abbey Road on 19 May 1966.
12. STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER
Directed by Peter Goldmann and with newly restored footage, this was filmed at Knole Park, Kent on 30 and 31 January 1967.
13. WITHIN YOU WITHOUT YOU/TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS
The merging of these two tracks, one from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the other from Revolver, was created for The Beatles Love show by Cirque du Soleil, which opened in June 2006 in Las Vegas. This video was created to promote the Love album released later that year.
14. A DAY IN THE LIFE
Filmed in Studio One at Abbey Road on 10 February 1967, this includes classical musicians, who were asked to wear evening dress, fake noses and funny hats for the recording session.
15. HELLO, GOODBYE
This clip is another shot at London's Saville Theatre on 10 November 1967; The Beatles wear their ‘street clothes'.
16. HELLO, GOODBYE
This third version was also shot at London's Saville Theatre on 10 November 1967; it includes elements from the first two films but with additional footage unique to this edit.
17. HEY BULLDOG
The original footage from a 1968 shoot for the ‘Lady Madonna' promo film was unearthed in the mid-1990s. It was revealed that The Beatles were recording ‘Hey Bulldog' and is an edit done to promote the reissue of the Yellow Submarine movie in 1999.
18. HEY JUDE
This is an edit of the two other takes filmed on 4 September 1968 for the Frost On Sunday TV show. This has a different David Frost intro to the clip on disc 1.
19. REVOLUTION
One of two versions, this was shot the same day as ‘Hey Jude'. John's lead vocal is completely live, as are most of Paul and George's backing vocals. The instrumentation, including Nicky Hopkins' electric piano, is from the master tape.
20. GET BACK
This clip was assembled in 2003 to support the release of the album Let It Be…Naked and utilises studio footage from the famous Get Back/Let It Be sessions.
21. DON'T LET ME DOWN
This was the B-side of ‘Get Back' and this clip is a composite of two live performances from the Apple rooftop in 1969. It was made available to support the release of Let It Be…Naked in 2003.
22. FREE AS A BIRD
The 1995 video is a work of art by director Joe Pytka, who used the concept of a bird's-eye view to pay homage to many Beatles songs and images.
23. REAL LOVE
This video directed by Geoff Wonfor and ex-10cc and leading pop promo-maker Kevin Godley, this video was made in 1996 to support the release of the single.
Now that Sony has taken over the half of Sony/ATV that Michael Jackson owned, can the Beatles get any of their copyrights back? The answer to that question is a qualified yes. It was reported Friday night that Paul McCartney has been working since last December to regain at least some of the music copyrights of Beatles songs that were purchased by Michael Jackson, according to a story from Billboard. “Paul calls the songs 'his babies,'” Beatles researcher Peter Hodgson, who is credited by author Mark Lewisohn in “Tune In: All These Years, Volume 1,” and helped Philip Norman with his Lennon and upcoming McCartney biographies, told Beatles Examiner.
You'll recall that back in the mid-1980s, Michael Jackson did an end run around Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono, who had discussed buying the songs, and bought them himself. “He should have just gone ahead and purchased them for £20 million in the early 80's when he was offered them by Sir Lew Grade,” who phoned him personally, Hodgson said.
The U.S. Copyright Act allows songwriters to apply to get their song copyrights back. In the case of songs written before 1978, it's after 56 years. In this case, the first Lennon-McCartney songs hit that mark in 2018, a scant two years away. But any actions taken by McCartney and Yoko Ono will only apply in America as Sony/ATV will still hold them in the rest of the world.
But none of this might not have been necessary if it hadn't been for a critical conversation Yoko Ono reportedly had with Jackson's lawyer, John Branca, who phoned her to ask if she would be purchasing the Beatles songs which were up for sale at the time. According to an excerpt of the book “Michael Jackson Inc.: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of a Billion Dollar Empire” that is on the Forbes magazine website, Ono, a friend of Jackson's as was McCartney, told Branca they weren't bidding on it.
“No?,” the book quotes Branca. “No, no, if we had bought it, then we’d have to deal with Paul,” Ono reportedly said, and then asked why he wanted to know. “Because Michael’s interested,” Branca said. “Oh, that would be wonderful in the hands of Michael rather than some big corporation,” she reportedly told him. The author said he asked Ono about the conversation some 30 years later and she said she didn't have a “complex dialogue” with Jackson's people.
But even if McCartney gets some of the copyrights back, Hodgson says his efforts will only be partly successful. “Paul will only own half of any songs in the U.S., as Yoko cut a deal for Sony to keep John's half.“
LOS ANGELES/LONDON — George Martin, known as "the fifth Beatle" for his work in shaping the band that became one of the world's most influential music forces, has died at the age of 90.
He was considered the most successful music producer ever, cited in the Guinness Book of Records for having more than 50 No. 1 hit records over five decades in the United States and Britain alone. He helped score, arrange, and produce many of the band's biggest hits, including "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "A Day in the Life", “Yesterday”, "Eleanor Rigby" and "Love Me Do". "I’m so sad to hear the news of the passing of dear George Martin," Beatle Paul McCartney said in a statement on Wednesday. "If anyone earned the title of the fifth Beatle it was George." A statement from Martin's family confirmed he had died peacefully at his home on Tuesday evening. Earlier, Ringo Starr, the Beatles' drummer, had announced his death on Twitter: "God bless George Martin peace and love to Judy and his family... George will be missed." Starr followed the message by posting a black and white photo of the Fab Four with Martin, saying "Thank you for all your love and kindness George." Martin served as producer, collaborator and mentor to Beatles John Lennon, George Harrison, McCartney and Starr. Lennon was shot dead in New York in 1980. Harrison died of cancer in 2001. Tributes from the music world poured in on Twitter. "RIP to my musical brother George Martin. We were friends since 1964, & I am so thankful 4 that gift," said American music producer Quincy Jones. Lenny Kravitz said: "The legends are really going home!" Boy George said: "George Martin. Gentleman and legend", while Mark Ronson said Martin was "the greatest British record producer of all time."
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: "George Martin was a giant of music - working with the Fab Four to create the world's most enduring pop music." "YESTERDAY" During his seven-decade career in the music industry, Martin produced almost all of the Beatles' recordings and also worked with Gerry & the Pacemakers, Shirley Bassey, Cilla Black, Jeff Beck, America, Cheap Trick and other acts. Martin started work at Abbey Road Studios in 1950 producing records for EMI's Parlophone label. He was noted for his comedy recordings with the likes of Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Beyond the Fringe and got his first Number 1 with The Temperance Seven in 1961. He signed The Beatles in 1962 The young band members were rough around the edges, but Martin saw their commercial promise and with them helped revolutionize the art of popular music recording. His 1979 autobiography, "All You Need Is Ears", chronicles his discovery of the Beatles and their creative process. Martin was knighted in 1996. In 2006, working with his son, Giles Martin, he helped develop the Beatles-inspired Cirque du Soleil show "Love" in Las Vegas, which went on to reap his two most recent Grammys. (Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere in Los Angeles and James Davey in London, Editing by Ralph Boulton) Source: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/03/09/arts/09reuters-people-georgemartin.html?_r=0
I read the news today, oh boy. Sir George Martin, The Beatles' record producer, passed away at age 90. I wondered, would the Beatles have accomplished so much without him? Sir Paul McCartney paid tribute to Martin, calling him a "true gentleman and like a second father to me." Martin gave them their big break in 1962 when he signed the Beatles to Parlophone/EMI, and he went on to produce the band's 13 albums between March, 1963 and May, 1970.
Martin was a classically trained musician, but was enthralled by the Beatles' creativity. He was much more than a mere overseer, Martin was an active participant with the Beatles. He wrote the string arrangements accompanying Paul McCartney on "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby." Martin composed and orchestrated parts of "A Hard Day's Night," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Yellow Submarine" albums. Martin and the Beatles together were creating new ways of recording music.
I saw Martin at a book signing event at Barnes & Noble five years ago. He was a soft spoken man. I remember the way he delighted the crowd with tales of Beatles sessions. But more than anything else I was taken by his little tidbit about what happened when the Beatles got the munchies in the middle of the night -- they would sometimes eat other studio employees' cookies and write them notes apologizing for the misdeed! Martin struck me as a man who lived exactly the life he wanted and was thankful for it.
Martin worked with Pete Townshend on the musical stage production of "The Who's Tommy," which opened on Broadway in 1993. He also worked with Elton John and produced hit records for Jeff Beck, Sting, Elvis Costello, Cheap Trick, America and Paul McCartney.
Martin produced two of the best James Bond themes. The first was "Goldfinger" by Shirley Bassey in 1964. The second in 1973 was "Live and Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Wings.
